University of California President Proposes More Financial Aid

The head of the University of California system is hoping to convince more low income students that they can afford the schools… He’s proposing to offer some additional financial aid to help out with fees.

U.C. President Mark Yudof will present his proposal called the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan to the Board of Regents next month… It would help cover system wide academic fees for students whose incomes are below 60-thousand dollars—the median for California households. They would also need to qualify for need-based financial aid. Yudof says such students receive many types of help to cover other costs. But he says he’s concerned that news of fee increases discourages many potential students.

“For the average person they see the price increase, they turn to each other and say you know I don’t think we should even give this a shot.”

Yudof says given California’s budget problems—an upcoming fee increase is likely—but how much and when has not been determined. The estimated three million dollar annual cost of his proposal would be covered with funds set aside from fee increases. U-C officials say system-wide fees run around seven-thousand dollars a year—each campus adds on fees that vary by location.